Article (Scientific journals)
Tropical forest recovery from logging: a 24 year silvicultural experiment from Central Africa
Gourlet-Fleury, Sylvie; Mortier, Frédéric; Fayolle, Adeline et al.
2013In Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, (368)
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Keywords :
Moist semi-deciduous forests; Silviculture; Permanent sample plots; Above-ground biomass; Timber species
Abstract :
[en] Large areas of African moist forests are being logged in the context of supposedly sustainable management plans. It remains however controversial whether harvesting a few trees per hectare can be maintained in the long term while preserving other forest services as well. We used a unique 24 year silvicultural experiment, encompassing 10 4 ha plots established in the Central African Republic, to assess the effect of disturbance linked to logging (two to nine trees ha−1 greater than or equal to 80 cm DBH) and thinning (11–41 trees ha−1 greater than or equal to 50 cm DBH) on the structure and dynamics of the forest. Before silvicultural treatments, above-ground biomass (AGB) and timber stock (i.e. the volume of commercial trees greater than or equal to 80 cm DBH) in the plots amounted 374.5 ± 58.2 Mg ha−1 and 79.7 ± 45.9 m3 ha−1, respectively. We found that (i) natural control forest was increasing in AGB (2.58 ± 1.73 Mg dry mass ha−1 yr−1) and decreasing in timber stock (−0.33 ± 1.57 m3 ha−1 yr−1); (ii) the AGB recovered very quickly after logging and thinning, at a rate proportional to the disturbance intensity (mean recovery after 24 years: 144%). Compared with controls, the gain almost doubled in the logged plots (4.82 ± 1.22 Mg ha−1 yr−1) and tripled in the logged + thinned plots (8.03 ± 1.41 Mg ha−1 yr−1); (iii) the timber stock recovered slowly (mean recovery after 24 years: 41%), at a rate of 0.75 ± 0.51 m3 ha−1 yr−1 in the logged plots, and 0.81 ± 0.74 m3 ha−1 yr−1 in the logged + thinned plots. Although thinning significantly increased the gain in biomass, it had no effect on the gain in timber stock. However, thinning did foster the growth and survival of small- and medium-sized timber trees and should have a positive effect over the next felling cycle.
Research center :
BSEF, CIRAD, 34398 Montpellier, France
Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Ministère des Eaux, Forêts, Chasse et Pêche, BP 3314 Bangui, Central African Republic
BSEF, CIRAD, BP 4035 Libreville, Gabon
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Gourlet-Fleury, Sylvie
Mortier, Frédéric
Fayolle, Adeline  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Forêts, Nature et Paysage > Gestion des ressources forestières et des milieux naturels
Baya, Fidèle
Ouedraogo, Dakis-Yaoba 
Bénédet, Fabrice
Picard, Nicolas
Language :
English
Title :
Tropical forest recovery from logging: a 24 year silvicultural experiment from Central Africa
Publication date :
2013
Journal title :
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B
ISSN :
0962-8436
eISSN :
1471-2970
Publisher :
Royal Society of London, London, United Kingdom
Special issue title :
Change in African rainforests: past, present and future
Issue :
368
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
ARF Project (Appui à la Recherche Forestière)
AFD - Agence Française de Développement [FR]
CIRAD - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement [FR]
ICRA (Institut Centrafricain de Recherche Agronomique)
MEFCP (Ministère centrafricain des Eaux, Forêts, Chasse et Pêche)
SCAC/MAE (Service de Coopération et d'Actions Culturelles)
University of Bangui
SCAD (Société Centrafricaine de Déroulage)
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since 31 July 2013

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